Bharatha killing:

Ascertain whereabouts and inform court, CID OIC told

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Colombo Additional Magistrate Prasanna Alwis, hearing the assassination case of Presidential Trade Union Advisor and former Colombo District Parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, yesterday issued notice on the OIC Unit 3 at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to ascertain the whereabouts of Duminda Silva MP and inform the court on the next date, April 17.

Later Chief Inspector Merril Ranga Lamahewa brought to the notice of the magistrate that the CID had conducted investigations to ascertain the whereabouts of MP Duminda Silva and a comprehensive report will be forwarded to court on the next date.

Sixteen suspects out of 20 suspects who are alleged to have been involved in the shooting incident of Parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra were further remanded yesterday till April 17, 2012.

Duminda Silva MP and his body guards were not present in court yesterday.

Earlier the court granted bail for two other suspects who are alleged to have been involved in the shooting incident. On the last hearing date nine prosecution witnesses identified ten suspects who are alleged to have been involved in the killing of former MP at an identification parade held by the magistrate.

On the last hearing date CID Chief Inspector Merril Ranga Lamahewa informed court that they have completed the investigations into the shooting incident at Mulleriyava where MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed and forwarded 2,597-page dossier of the investigations to the Attorney General to obtain advice whether to file two separate cases or to file one case against the suspects in connection with the shooting incident.

The special CID team deployed by the CID DIG earlier had recovered two T 56 weapons, 12 pistols and two revolvers and questioned 37 persons including several security persons who were present at the time of the incident.

Attorneys Ajith Pathirana, Anuja Premaratne, Bandara Ekanayake, Charitha Galhena, Kingsley Perera and several other attorneys appeared for some of the suspects.

Further hearing was put off for April 17.